Princess of Prophecy
by Aria Saeryen
Summary: The princess of Altador thinks she is rid of the silly prophetic visions she experienced as a little girl. Boy, is she in for a surprise. *PUBLISHED IN THE NEOPIAN TIMES UNDER USERNAME "saeryena"*
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This story is a follow-up to "Princess of Prophecy: The Beginning". This can also be found in the Neopian Times.**

**Just so you know, I don't think this is quite as good as my more recent stuff, like Princess and the Pauper II and some of my other Neopets things, but I'm still quite proud of it since it managed to get into the NT.  
**

My name is Saeryennan. And I am the Princess of Altador.

My first visions came when I was a little Royal Cybunny. I foresaw my Faerie Snowbunny, Calissa, fly into a torch. My mother, Queen Kalara, a Green Wocky, told me everything she could about my gift.

Some gift it turned out to be. More like a curse. My mother shared that opinion.

What surprised me was my father, King Altador, seemed to have forgotten about what happened on the day of my birth. But that comes later. Much later.

Because this story starts with a surprise visit from the very Air Faerie who gave me the gift. I was now twelve years old, and that Crazy Prophecy Faerie Nyvenne (as I had come to call her) had visited me in a dream. I had not seen her since I was five.

Well, she told me that my greatest adventure was about to begin. Great. Just great. A proper young lady should not have to fuss about these things, and yet the Faeries come just to make you as crazy as they are. They're like Petpetpets. They never leave you alone. Not even if you scream at them.

I, for one, was too old for such nonsense. If my greatest adventure was about to begin, it would involve nothing more than speaking with the Heroes about matters of state. I was still considered too young to help decide them, but that was what kings raised their children to do.

I put on a very pretty green dress trimmed with orange and gold (the Altador colors) and walked outside into the gardens. I absolutely adored the gardens. There were flowers of all different colors and their delicate petals let the morning sun shine through better than Brightvale stained-glass windows. The flowing waters of the fountains were clearer than crystals, and the leaves on the laurel trees sparkled like emeralds…

"AAAAAA! Crazy Prophecy Faerie!"

She appeared out of _nowhere_. There, on the garden wall, sat Nyvenne, calm as ever, as if she thought I expected her.

I didn't care about how nice a dress I was wearing—I fled. And I did not look back until I reached the entrance hall of the palace.

"My dear child, you must be imagining things! Faeries in the garden? Air Faeries live in the sky!"

Remember when I told you that my father seemed to forget Nyvenne's gift? That is exactly what he said—while laughing!—when I told him about seeing the Faerie who gave me prophecy sunbathing on the garden wall.

My mother, however, was listening intently.

"Come along Saeryennan," she said. I followed her into a hall where my father could not hear us speak.

I told her everything—the dream and the garden incident. I told her about being taken completely by surprise and how I hadn't seen Nyvenne in a dream or in reality ever since I was five. I told her how the whole prophecy thing was probably my imagination and how I'd dismissed the whole experience as a crazy childhood dream.

"Dearest Saeryennan, you have nothing to fear from any Faerie," my mother said.

But I could tell from the tone of her voice that she didn't mean it. She was afraid of Nyvenne, and of Nyvenne's curse.

"Now, Saeryennan darling, you'll want to look your best for such a formal event. All of the Heroes are coming. You must wear Altador's colors, and only Altador's colors," my father said with a sigh.

_Fine_, I thought. _I won't wear the only color in my wardrobe just for the sake of appearing proper. What in Neopia is not Altadorian about green?! It's a great color!_

Grumbling, I put on my new dress and practiced my graceful walk that I had been preparing especially for this day. I had been told this was the first time all the Heroes of Altador would formally meet me (I already knew Psellia). I was longing to meet some of them too, especially Sasha. I was dying to show her exactly how good a dancer I was, and we were both Cybunnies.

"And now, announcing…Saeryennan, Princess of Altador!"

I delicately picked up my skirts and descended the stairs in an elegant manner as I imagined Fyora herself would. I put a picture in my mind of the Faerie Queen walking lightly down shining palace steps, smiling upon anyone who stood at the bottom to welcome her. Each step she made sounded like a soft breeze that one would be lucky to hear. Putting myself in her place, I looked upon my father and his council and greeted them with a warm smile.

Psellia, who I had known for years, marveled at how ladylike I had become. Siyana smiled back at me. The sight of the Light Faerie made me feel protected, as if she were the sun itself shining all of its light upon me.

"Hello," I said.

Things were going very well. The Heroes absolutely loved me, and Sasha was very excited that I had a passion for dancing. I was deep in a conversation with her when suddenly disaster struck. Again.

The Cybunny's face began to lose its detail. Soon it was barely recognizable as the rest of the dining hall began to distort. A moment later I found myself in an eerie glowing green cave.

"Come on," said a voice I recognized. "I think I've found a way out of here."

A fear I had never known before took its place inside of me. The voice belonged to my mother.

Rays of brilliant sunlight alerted me to the dawn of a new day. I didn't have to open my eyes to tell that I was not in the dining hall. It was much too soft, and there was something warm covering me. I knew I must be in my bedroom.

Not bothering to change from that same dress I'd worn to the disaster dinner, I crept down the palace stairs. My father stood in the entrance hall. Ducking behind a pillar, I perked my ears up.

"I'm so sorry, he's with the rest of the Heroes. Every last one is scouring the kingdom for an Air Faerie known as Nyvenne."

I flinched upon hearing the anger in his voice when he said Nyvenne's name. The Neopet in front of him, a green Ogrin, bowed and left the palace.

Just then, my father caught sight of me.

"Saeryennan!" he scolded. "What are…have you been eavesdropping? Good Fyora, child, I thought you knew better!"

I didn't stop to hear the rest of his lecture. As fast I could I ran to my room, trying to take in all that had happened.

"So…I take it Good King No-Nonsense finally believed your little Faerie tale?"

I groaned. Advice from Crazy Prophecy Faerie was the last thing I needed. My eyes automatically darted their gaze to the window.

"Saeryennan," Nyvenne said, "why won't you talk to me?"

My arms crossed as I continued to look away from her.

"Saeryennan…"

"Okay, okay!" I blurted. "You want to know why I've been avoiding you?! Well, here: you're _insane_. Absolutely insane. I never asked to be a prophet and for Fyora's sake I do NOT want to be a hero! Your 'blessing' made me collapse in front of the entire Council of Heroes, and 'King No-Nonsense' is very angry! So just…just stay away from me!"

"Saeryennan…"

The Air Faerie's voice was calm.

"What?!" I said, still looking away.

"Saeryennan…leave the palace. It is part of the path!"

The 'path' _again_?!

"Just go…"

"NO!" I screamed.

I must've screamed rather loud, because the next thing I knew I heard my father's footsteps clanking their way to my door. I watched Nyvenne's window reflection gasp and disappear.

"Are you all right?" my father asked.

I turned to face him.

"Yeah…I'm fine. I just had a bad memory."

"Listen," he said. "Due to this Air Faerie issue, your mother and I have decided that you should remain indoors for your own protection."

I couldn't help myself. I knew it wasn't proper, but it came anyway. It welled up in my lungs and there was nothing I could do to stop that second deafening scream breaking free.

"SAERYENNAN!"

My mouth snapped shut. Tears welled up in my eyes, but my father took no heed of it. He left the room.

I didn't come downstairs all that day. The only one who seemed to care about me was Calissa, and even she seemed to misunderstand. As if doing tricks could make me happy. I needed the sunlight, like every Altadorian does. Who cared if there was a Crazy Prophecy Faerie? At least they could let me go out into the gardens, but no, that was too risky. Now that I thought about it, my father really wasn't so sensible. I was sure my mother could not have agreed to this. After all, who in their right mind would?

By the end of the day, I had made up my mind. Whether it was fate or my own intentions, I wasn't going to stay confined in a palace. They could've at least granted me access to the gardens, but no, too dangerous.

"Come on Calissa," I said. "We're leaving."

With most certainty that my parents slumbered, I threw bag full of clothes and sword just in case out of the window. I then let Calissa fly out.

Hesitantly, I began to climb over the windowsill. The idea had come from many a Faerie tale I'd read about a princess who ran away from home for whatever reason. It had seemed a lot easier in Faerie tales. In fact, it was.

For I slipped and found myself heading face first into a rosebush.


	2. Chapter 2

I have absolutely no idea how I looked as I plummeted from my window and found myself staring at sharp green thorns, but I'm pretty sure my eyes were wide and my ears were up on end as I stifled a scream. If my father found out I'd tried to sneak out, he would lock me in my room for sure, and the window would without a doubt be securely bolted.

I slammed my eyes shut as I waited for unbearable agony.

It never came.

All I knew was that all of a sudden, I was flying like a Pteri! Well, maybe not flying, but I was floating in thin air. I hesitantly opened my eyes.

My arms were spread out just like they had been when I was falling. I seemed to be lying on my stomach on a warm wind, and that wind was carrying me high above Altador. I had never seen it from this high up, and it was beautiful.

I found I was able to sit up on such a wind and as I did so, I looked at the stars in admiration and wonder. I recognized all the constellations, and I caught a glimpse of that white spacecraft that occasionally flew through the skies of Neopia. I'd been closer to it than ever before, and I thought I saw the figure of a Grundo at its wheel.

I then looked down at my beloved Altador. Even at night it was full of light, and Neopets were bustling about the streets, living their lives. I even saw my father walking from the Hall of Heroes to the palace with a frown on his face. If he could've seen me then!

Calissa flittered up next to me and sat down on my lap. That night was definitely the best night of life so far. I was flying above the city in absolute freedom!

Unfortunately it didn't last forever. The wind gently set me down in front of an unknown building. Most of the Neopets were sleeping by now so with almost all the lights off, I could not figure out where I was. Nevertheless I was very tired. I curled up on the cool grass with Calissa in my arms and soon fell sound asleep.

"Fate always finds a way, Saeryennan of Altador."

I stood in the Hall of Heroes. Light poured in and Nyvenne sat on the space where the statue of the Betrayer used to be.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked.

Nyvenne smiled. I could see unquestionable laughter in her eyes that gave me the answer.

"Sorry," I said.

"Saeryennan," she said, "you must listen clearly to what I'm about to tell you. It seems the Darkest Faerie wasn't the only one planning your kingdom's downfall. There is another plotter among your father's council. But remember—what we see isn't always stone-cold truth."

"But why—"

My eyes opened.

I looked around. The building I had fallen asleep in front of was the Hall of Heroes. Calissa was chasing a Veespa around a small patch of flowers.

Why is it that I had to wake up just as I was about to ask Crazy Prophecy Faerie a question? If she had foreseen another traitor to Altador then why in Neopia had she not told me about it before, when I was five? Of course, that might've stretched it a little, for I, being a (unintentional) prophet myself, knew that you couldn't predict stuff too far into the future. My predictions had always come true within the same day, except for the vision of my mother and me in that creepy cave…

Then it hit me. If there was another traitor I had better find out now. I didn't want anyone harming my beloved Altador. Quickly, I picked up Calissa and ran into the Hall of Heroes.

I looked long and hard at every statue I saw. Surely it couldn't be gentle Fauna, or caring Siyana, or lovely Sasha! And I couldn't bear to think that it might be my father himself. I knew Jerdana would never plot against the kingdom she loved, and I'd known Psellia since I was a little Cybunny. So who could it be? Kelland, perhaps? I'd known he was once a thief, maybe he was stealing again? I couldn't be sure.

"What in Fyora's name are YOU doing here?!"

I turned. The enraged voice was one I knew. It was that Yurble janitor who got mad at everybody he saw. I had no idea why, so I figured he yelled at people for kicks since there was nothing else to do around there.

"Look, I'm sorry Your Highness, but I can't have you making muddy paw prints on my floor! It just means extra work for me! Now, do yourself a favor and get out! And take that miniature Cybunny of yours with you!"

I grabbed Calissa and slipped behind the janitor into the council chamber. Whew! It wasn't that his words had bothered me. As I said before he yelled at everyone (and still does!), but I still didn't like people shouting at me. My father had already given me enough of that.

And as luck would have it, there he sat in his seat in between Psellia and Siyana. I quickly ducked behind a fern.

"So," my father said. "You mean to tell me you haven't found the Air Faerie who cursed my daughter?!"

Siyana sighed. "Forgive me Your Majesty, but we Faeries know most of all how good we are at hiding. You can't expect one to be tracked down in a matter of hours, it's just unrealistic!"

"Siyana," he said, "don't apologize, please. You are blameless. It's Psellia I am disappointed in. To not know where to look for a fellow Air Faerie…"

Psellia didn't respond. She just sighed and looked down at the floor.

"No one tells me a thing around here," my father continued. "Just last night, I saw the constellations change location! Every one of them! I would've believed it but a dream had I not seen—"

"I'm sorry sir," Siyana interrupted, "but what does that have to do with—"

"SILENCE! I'm telling you there are dark forces at work in this kingdom. First my daughter passes out with a prophetic vision that some insane Faerie wrought upon her, and now she is gone, petnapped, no doubt, by that lunatic! This is more than a twist of fate, there must be some sort of plot! And I think I have an idea who is behind it!"

I carefully treaded behind the statues of each hero as I heard my father continue to express his anger from the council chamber. Jumping to conclusions—that was exactly like him. He thought through and through that I was a good girl who would never mess up or Fyora forbid run away from home! So of course I had to have been stolen in the dead of night.

I ran up the stairs to the observatory. I had to find out if what my father spoke of was true. And sure enough, one peek through the telescope confirmed that the constellations had, indeed, shifted. What was especially peculiar was they were in a circle and in the same order as their statues were below!

All except…

I couldn't believe it. I _wouldn't_ believe it. Psellia's Dreamer constellation was in the exact spot the Betrayer's statue would be—where the Sleeper should've been! And the Sleeper had taken up the empty space left by the Dreamer.

Psellia—could it be? It was impossible! I had known Psellia since I was a baby. She had taken care of me in the nursery and even bought me Calissa. It just couldn't be her, it _couldn't_!

I sat on the two stone steps in front of the doors of the Hall of Heroes. Why would Psellia betray the council?

With the constellations shifting and everything Nyvenne had told me, it seemed all too likely. But wait…everything [i]Nyvenne[/i] had told me…

Why should I even believe the insane woman? For all I knew, perhaps she had caused the constellations to shift herself, and decided to frame a Faerie I actually liked! If an Air Faerie was going to try to bring about Altador's downfall, I could only think of one suspect: the same one who was at fault for all my misery. The very Faerie who destroyed my reputation by causing me to faint in front of every hero in Altador. The annoying spirit of the winds who had put my father off the rocker, and had manipulated both him and me in such a manner that resulted in my desertion.

I couldn't risk running into her again. The problem was that she always seemed to know where to find me.

"Calissa," I said, "we're leaving…Altador."

A tear fell from my eye and impacted the porch I sat upon. Leave Altador…perhaps forever. How would I bear it?

Of course I wouldn't leave forever. I would have to come back and stop Nyvenne. But first I had to have some sort of plan. And I couldn't form one with her nosing in on me all the time.

I picked up Calissa and walked toward the city gates. My face was wet with tears, and I think I let out a small moan of sadness as the gates closed behind me. More miserable than I had ever been, I wiped my eyes with my paw.

* * *

"No! It's a _perfectly flat rock_ quarry!"

I would even miss those Jubjub workers. I remembered hearing their shouts from inside the city as I played by the fountain. I began to miss my father's yells now, and the janitor's.

As I walked, I glimpsed an Air Faerie out of the corner of my eye. Nyvenne! I ran and ran until I could hardly see Altador. By the time I was done, I sat on a shore near that sandy valley that lay between my kingdom and the Lost Desert.

"Oh Calissa," I said through tears as I petted my Snowbunny, "why did it have to be like this? Why is it that I couldn't be a normal princess? Why did that Crazy Prophecy Faerie have to cause so much grief? If only she had never come! If only I had no power of prophecy! If only my father—"

I never finished my lament. All I knew was that a strong cold wind came up behind me and I hit the surface of the ocean.


	3. Chapter 3

The ocean's surface was cold, but under the water it was like ice. For a moment I thought I was in the Ice Caves rather than off a shore near Altador.

I had never learned how to swim. I didn't think I would ever need to until now. I felt an absolute certainty that Nyvenne had done this. After all, she was an Air Faerie, and I almost knew her to be the one that flew me to the Hall of Heroes.

She'd been using me the whole time.

With no idea of how to keep myself afloat, the shore kept vanishing. No matter how many times I (barely) managed to pull myself up it was in vain. My attempts to rescue myself only resulted in sinking beneath the waves again.

I was just about to give up when suddenly, a burst of water shot up with me on top of it. That was not normal; something must be forcing it to do that…

When a gust of warm wind set me down on the shore, I found my answer.

"Nyvenne!"

There stood Crazy Prophecy Faerie, lowering her hands as the water became calm again.

"You…you *cough* saved me…"

She looked at me with warm, loving eyes that reminded me so much of my mother.

"…Thank you…"

Although the Faerie's eyes continued to look at me with a motherly affection, her face was grave. She knew something…she just wasn't telling me what.

"Listen," I said, "I think I know who the traitor is."

"And?" she said.

"It's Psellia. I truly cannot believe it but everything seems to point to her. The arrangement of the constellations…the way she acted in front of my father…everything! And this…wind stuff that pushed me into the ocean just proves it!"

Tears formed in my eyes. I thought I knew Psellia. Why would she do such a terrible thing?

"You are correct, I'm afraid," said Nyvenne. "And yet—"

"AHAHAHAHA!"

Before I knew what was happening, another Air Faerie swooped out of the sky. She looked exactly like Nyvenne except for the fact that she was clothed in orange, and it wasn't a pleasant orange either. Just looking at the outfit made my eyes burn. And the look in her eyes was definitely not one that showed any kind of compassion.

"Nyvenne! After this little stunt I cannot let things go any further!"

Her voice freaked me out. It sounded like what I imagined the Betrayer's to be: full of anger and vengeance, and a little bit of glee—_wicked_ glee.

And the horrid creature picked up Nyvenne and flew off without a trace.

"Nyvenne! Oh, Calissa, why did I suspect her? Now look what I've done!"

It was beginning to be the worst day of my life. My Petpet looked at me with big, happy eyes.

I sighed. Calissa was wonderful, but she couldn't understand me, not like my mother or Nyvenne or even my father could.

There was only one thing I could do.

I would have to find out where that Faerie took Nyvenne. And to do that, my first step would be to go to my father and tell him what I knew.

* * *

The constant arguing of the Jubjub quarry workers let me know I was headed in the right direction. Again I glimpsed the Air Faerie I had seen earlier. As I looked at her more closely I noticed she was sitting on a perfectly flat rock. She was not Nyvenne, but there was something about her that seemed familiar.

I walked up to the Air Faerie. Her eyes were closed.

"Hello?" I said.

No answer.

I snapped my fingers. "Um…are you going to wake up?"

Still no answer.

"Excuse me? Um, could I talk to you? Hey, I'm speaking to you there! Yes, you! Come on, wake up, wake UP, WAKE UP!"

"CHEE! CHEE! CHEE!" Calissa chattered.

The Faerie didn't move an inch.

I reached out to her shoulder to tap it.

"YOWCH!"

I pulled my finger back. Something had appeared around the Faerie just as I was about to touch her. It looked almost like a blue Spyder web in the split second that I saw it. And it _burned_.

It was a force field. It had to be. And somehow this one contained its prisoner in such a manner that she was frozen in time, unable to speak or to move.

No one had noticed her. No one really went to this quarry, and the workers were always too busy shouting at each other to know if anything was going on.

I made a mental note to inform my father about this poor creature, and Calissa and I went on our way.

* * *

I heard a clash of swords. A woman screamed, and my father came around the corner.

"Saeryennan," he said, "you must flee the palace at once."

"No," I replied. "I must protect my family!"

With that, I picked up a dropped sword and ran into the main hall of the palace.

I gasped.

I was lying on the grass outside the Archives. Another prophecy…wow. Just wow. I'd never had a vision following one that hadn't already taken place. I still had yet to be in that green cave.

I scooped up Calissa and walked on toward the palace. It was strange…after the one of the bandits trying to kidnap my mother I hadn't had a prophecy until the one of the cave. Why was that? I thought about my dreams were prophetic of the next day I would have, but nowadays I usually forgot them due to being so busy with royal duty. I hadn't had a real, exciting prophecy for so long.

I guess I didn't need them then.

It all became clear to me now. The visions—that is, the real ones, not the dreams—only came when something drastic was about to happen. It wasn't a future I could not change, it was guidance. They were telling me what I had to do to save my family and kingdom. I had never been shone a bad outcome of events with the exception of Aisha plushie getting ripped to shreds as a little girl, which meant things could've gone either way if it hadn't been for my choice. If I had dropped the sword in front of those bandits they would've made off with my mother, but I hadn't. It wasn't completely inevitable fate—it was choice as well.

My heart filled with a sense of—can you believe it?—_heroism_. I didn't really want to be a hero, but I would do whatever I could to protect those I loved and protect Altador.

As I was thinking this, something grabbed me and picked me up.

I looked up. It was the Air Faerie who had kidnapped Nyvenne. I recognized her chill wind and eye-burning orange clothing.

I fought as hard as I could.

"Let me go LET ME GO!"

I kicked and flailed my arms. I even bit her hand, but she was too strong for me. She carried me off to the mountains that stood between Altador and the kingdoms of Meridell and Brightvale. There was a mountain at the very center that was an eerie glowing green.

I landed facedown on the ground—hard. This was the cave from my vision all right. I looked up to see my mother tied to a stalagmite and Nyvenne standing very still. Her eyes were closed.

"Nyvenne!" I cried.

I ran to her aid as fast as I could only to feel a burning pain as a bumped into what looked like a blue Spyder web. Nyvenne was trapped in the same time prison as that poor Faerie in the quarry.

I picked up what looked like a wet piece of chalk. I tried to cut through the ropes that bound my mother with it, but it crumbled in my hand. There were only two other things in this cave, and neither looked promising. Nevertheless I tried the piece of plushie and the old burnt stick. Neither was helpful.

"Ahh, I see Queen Kalara was quite easy to capture without her little _defender_."

The Faerie wearing that horrible orange walked into the room.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Princess," she said. "I am Alilire, a Faerie of the Air."

More like a Faerie of the Dark.

I turned to Nyvenne, still as ever. Tears formed in my eyes yet again. I needed her, now more than ever.

"Yes, it seems my crazy sister was more powerful then that burst of wind I gave," Alilire continued.

"She's not crazy!" I shouted.

"Oh, I thought she was," Alilire said in a fake sweet voice. "I believe you call her Crazy Prophecy Faerie?"

"How do you know so much about me?!"

"I've been watching you, Princess. I knew from the moment you were born that you would try to foil my schemes. My sister said as much, she foresaw it…but poor thing, you never wanted to be a hero, did you? Yes, Nyvenne does force responsibility upon those who would never care. She always got it better because she was the prophetic one…I never got a thing. I was scorned for my cold winds. My sister's warm ones only added to her easy life!"

Warm winds…of course! Just as I'd suspected! Nyvenne had saved me from crashing into that rosebush!

My mother looked at me with sad eyes, then at Alilire.

"Please…don't hurt her. She means everything to me!"

* * *

_Stolen._

_My princess had been taken from me and I could do nothing about it, least of all fly after the horrid witch. As a Faerie Snowbunny, my wings couldn't fly that high._

_I noticed the King walk down the road. Hope, at last!_

_I squealed with all my might._

_The King bent down._

_"What is it, Calissa?" he asked._

_I tried to recreate events as best I could. I walked the way I'd seen my princess walk, then I flew to the ground the way I'd seen the orange Faerie do so. I struggled just as I had seen my princess do, and I squealed, trying to sound exactly like she had._

_"Silly little Petpet," the King said through tears as he stroked me with a single finger. "My wife and daughter have been taken by a crazed Air Faerie and you're my only family left right now."_

_It was obvious he had no idea what he was talking about, so I resolved to do something about it myself. I flapped my flimsy wings and flew in the direction I'd seen the Faerie fly. I didn't have to fly high up, I just had to find my princess. That Faerie had stolen her, and I wasn't going to do anything without getting her back first._


	4. Chapter 4

Alilire had left us here. It was just me and my mother. And Nyvenne, who was completely trapped with no way out.

We had spent two days in this cave. I was starving, and I missed Calissa.

How would we get out?

I knew we couldn't stay in here forever. Not when it had all come clear to me: Alilire was pretending to be Psellia, and the real Psellia was time bound in the Perfectly Flat Rock Quarry! No doubt it was she who had shifted the constellations just to pin it all on an innocent. Perhaps, though unlikely, she hadn't doubted that I would think Nyvenne a plotter and wind up in a spot where I would be easily caught, like a shore.

Just when I thought we were trapped her for good, I heard a familiar noise.

"Chee! Chee! Chee!"

"Calissa!" I said.

My poor Petpet was covered in snow. Her wings were all bent and out of shape, and she was breathing heavily. It must've taken all her strength to get here.

Before I could cradle her in my arms she flew as fast as those crumpled wings could carry her, which wasn't fast at all, and bit a clump of the ropes that bound my mother.

It wasn't easy, but she managed to chew through them all. My mother was free!

Now we could get out of here, at last!

I looked at Nyvenne sadly. How could we leave her trapped like that?

"Saeryennan," my mother said, "there's nothing we can do for her right now. We'd best hurry home and tell your father everything. One of his council might be able to help her.

"Now come on, I think I've found a way out of here."

At last, my prophecy had come true.

It was not an easy hike down those mountains. I had to hold Calissa close to me at all times since she was colder than my mother and I, having already endured these snowy slopes once.

It took three days to get just halfway. Boy, it was at times like these I wished I had wings.

Exhausted and freezing, I sat down in the cold, wet snow. I could not see Altador anywhere. I was sure we must be lost.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness!"

I thought I had seen a light in the distance, but now it was closer. It had come closer and closer until at last I could plainly see the figure of Siyana the Light Faerie hovering just above the ground.

"Siyana!" my mother said. "Thank Fyora you're here!"

"I've been searching for you two!" the Faerie exclaimed. "Here, take my hand and I'll fly you home."

I looked up at her with immense gratitude.

"Saeryennan," she said, "it took a lot of courage to manage such a hike, and I hear you would try to protect your kingdom no matter what! You remind me of—"

She stopped. I knew I would get no information out of her, but there was definite sadness in her eyes.

"Never mind," she said. "Your Majesty, take my hand."

My mother grabbed onto Siyana's hand. I took her free paw and with my other arm held Calissa. We were going back to Altador.

* * *

"Thank you, Siyana," my mother said after we landed.

She then turned to me.

"Let's find your father."

We began to walk toward the palace.

"Whoa, not so fast!" said the Light Faerie "We don't know where he is. Your Majesty, why don't you see if he's in the palace, and your daughter and I will check the Hall of Heroes."

My mother gave me a hug.

"Be safe," she said.

"Psellia, why in Neopia are you acting this way? You haven't said a thing, and you certainly haven't done anything to try to find my wife or daughter!"

My father's voice. It was coming from the council chamber.

"Well? Say something!"

I couldn't take it anymore. I burst into the room.

"NO! That's not Psellia! The real one is in some sort of time prison down at the Perfectly Flat Rock Quarry!"

My father turned to me.

"Ha! Now that's just crazy ta—"

I saw his eyes widen as he looked at me more closely.

"S-Saeryennan?"

"Yes," I said. "It's me."

He ran up to me. Tears were in his eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wasn't petnapped, Father. I ran away. I didn't like not being able to go out into the gardens, my absolute favorite place in Neopia. Anyway, I dreamt of Nyvenne. You know, the Prophecy Faerie? She told me there was another traitor among your council. The constellations shifting was a clue that pointed to Psellia. I wouldn't believe it at first, and then I wouldn't believe Nyvenne, so I left Altador.

"That was a mistake. Nyvenne's sister Alilire took her away. I went back to Altador and found Psellia in the quarry. I was on my way to tell you about it when Alilire took me too. I was trapped in some creepy cave with Mother, and if it hadn't been for Calissa we would still be there. Then Siyana came and took us back to Altador. Mother's safe, she's in the palace."

Siyana looked through the doorway and smiled.

My father turned to her.

"Come, Siyana. We must head for the quarry and find out if Psellia is there!"

And with that, they both left.

I was now alone in the council chamber with the false Psellia.

"So…" sneered a voice I recognized. "You found me out."

"Yes," I said. "I've known what you're up to ever since you took me to that cave!"

"Well then, I'll just have to bring down this disgusting sunny paradise the old-fashioned way!"

To my horror, "Psellia" began to change shape. Soon Alilire stood before me.

"Catch me if you can!" she taunted before breaking through a window.

I watched to see where she was going. The palace!

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I couldn't let that Faerie harm my mother.

As I burst into the main hall, I gasped.

"Queen of Altador!" Alilire cackled. "I see my ropes weren't tight enough."

I quickly grabbed a sword from an unconscious Grarrl guard.

"You…don't you dare go near her!" I shouted.

"Ah, playing hero again, are we?" the Faerie cackled. "Let's face it dear, your tricks might've worked on some foolish bandits, but they won't work on me! _Kalanistrikon_!"

A dark orb appeared out of Alilire's hand. I looked in awe as it formed into a black sword hilt, then a blade.

"H-how did you do that?" I gasped.

"My mother," she replied. "She was a Dark Faerie."

I didn't care. I lunged at the wicked Faerie with all my might, but she was still quite strong. My grip on the sword was getting slippery when my father appeared with an Air Faerie by his side.

I couldn't believe it. I was Psellia! The _real_ Psellia!

"What?!" Alilire gasped. "How did you—"

"Siyana," Psellia said. "Now she's going to rescue your sister!"

Psellia grabbed the sword from me and started battling Alilire. I scooped Calissa up and fled into a hall. I heard my mother scream over the clashing.

Just then, my father came around the corner.

"Saeryennan," he said, "you must flee the palace at once."

Another prophecy come true. Choices, choices…

I didn't know if I could beat Alilire. In fact, it seemed quite impossible, what with what she had done to two Faeries whose power I thought equaled hers.

But I had to try.

"No," I said firmly and filled with a sense of honor.

"I must protect my family!"

I quickly grabbed a sword on the ground, probably a guard's one, and rushed into the main hall.

"I'll handle this," I told Psellia.

"Be careful," she said. "This Faerie is very power—"

"I know."

"Hey, guess what? You're NEVER bringing Altador down!"

Alilire's eyes widened in shock as I came at her with all my strength. She had a firm grip on the dark sword, but it just wasn't firm enough. It clattered to the floor and vanished.

"NO!"

Alilire's eyes were filled with fear. Without that sword, she was powerless. It must've been her evil manifested or something. Either way, with it gone, she began to fade away too. Soon there was no trace of her left.

* * *

"Saeryennan," said my father, "please forgive me for assuming things. You're not crazy, and I see now that Nyvenne is not a bad Faerie."

"I forgive you," I said. "And I don't care what you assume. You're my father, and I love you."

We embraced.

"What happened?" cried Siyana as she flew in.

"Oh," I said. "Alilire failed. Altador is safe."

"I knew you would be hero."

Nyvenne!

"You're okay!" I cried as I ran into Crazy Prophecy Faerie's arms.

"I have never met a hero with more honor," she said.

"Um…no offense Nyvenne, but…I really don't want to be a hero, as I've said many times." I giggled.

"Your Highness," Siyana began.

"Please, call me Saeryennan!"

"Saeryennan, then…you will always be a hero. After all, you a have a heroic and courageous heart, and I suspect that you will do great things in the years to come. Just remember, even little acts of kindness, like what you just showed…you call her Crazy Prophecy Faerie, don't you?"

"I used to."

"That's what it takes to be a hero. Even if you wish to be a proper princess, that is still a heroic path."

* * *

Here I sit in Altador Palace.

I am in my bedroom. Calissa is sitting next to me.

And I am looking out the window, waiting for my next adventure.

**Whew! There's one Neopets story down! I still have more that are in the NT to post on here, then I'll start posting some new stuff.**


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